Tuesday, June 23, 2015

Saudis Brutalize Migrants

Saudi Arabia is one of the world's most ruthless regimes. International law principles are systematically breached.

The Kingdom is ruled by the despotic Saud monarchy. Democracy is strictly forbidden. So are free and open expression, press freedom and regime criticism.

Human Rights Watch's 2015 World Report said ruling authorities "continued in 2014 to try, convict, and imprison political dissidents and human rights activists solely on account of their peaceful activities."

"Systematic discrimination against women and religious minorities continued. Authorities failed to enact systematic measures to protect the rights of 9 million foreign workers."

They "subjected hundreds of people to unfair trials and arbitrary detention. New anti-terrorism regulations that took effect in 2014 can be used to criminalize almost any form of peaceful criticism of the authorities as terrorism."

Fundamental rights people in civilized societies expect don't exist - including no free expression or religion, electoral choices, due process, or judicial fairness.

So-called "breaking allegiance to the ruler" or "trying to distort the reputation of the kingdom" subjects "offenders" to long prison terms or capital punishment - by beheading, firing squad or stoning.

Longstanding abuses of migrant workers in Saudi Arabia are horrific. A Filipino worker called it a "bad dream."

A Bangladeshi said he "slept many nights beside the road and spent many days without food. It was a painful life."

Migrant workers experience extreme exploitation amounting to virtual slavery - even though former King Faisal abolished the practice in 1962.

It exists in new form, exacerbated by religious, racial and gender discrimination. Most migrants are from other Middle East countries, Asia and Africa.

They're paid sub-poverty wages for 12 or more hours a day work under poor or appalling conditions. Women are vulnerable to rape and other forms of sexual abuse.

Anyone charged with an offense (real or contrived) is subjected to horrific treatment - including torture, forced confessions and brutal punishments.

In detention awaiting deportation, they get inadequate food and no medical care under poor sanitation conditions. Anyone complaining is abusively treated.

Saudi Arabia isn't a Refugee Convention signatory. It ignores all international humanitarian and human rights laws. Its own citizens are treated abusively. It's no surprise how horrifically migrants are mistreated.

It's within its legitimate right to deport undocumented migrants. International law requires they be treated with dignity and not returned to nations where they risk persecution or death.

According to Whitson, "(i)n seeking to enforce its labor laws, Saudi Arabia needs to be aware that these same laws sometimes encourage abuses that lead workers to become undocumented."

"Saudi Arabia will never solve its (undocumented migrant) problem…until it fixes its labor system to root out long-term systemic abuses."

Stephen Lendman lives in Chicago. He can be reached at lendmanstephen@sbcglobal.net.

His new book as editor and contributor is titled "Flashpoint in Ukraine: US Drive for Hegemony Risks WW III."

http://www.claritypress.com/LendmanIII.html

Visit his blog site at sjlendman.blogspot.com.

Listen to cutting-edge discussions with distinguished guests on the Progressive Radio News Hour on the Progressive Radio Network.

It airs three times weekly: live on Sundays at 1PM Central time plus two prerecorded archived programs.